Kaapo Kahkonen's routine hasn't changed much.
After swatting away pucks at practice Monday, the Wild goalie planned to eat lunch and then swing by a coffee shop to unwind with his usual order: dark roast with a touch of milk.
"Sit down, look at people walking by or phone my buddies or FaceTime," Kahkonen said.
This also would have been his itinerary if he were in the American Hockey League, except in Iowa, Kahkonen would tack on a trip to the grocery store before making dinner.
Now that he's set up in a hotel in the Twin Cities, there's no need to shop since he's dining out instead of staying in to cook. The tweak to his schedule is the result of the more noticeable difference in Kahkonen's life lately, the one that has him playing in the NHL rather than the minors.
"Sometimes you still kind of think it feels a little unrealistic," he said.
Destined for another season of seasoning in the AHL, Kahkonen was promoted to the Wild last month when starter Devan Dubnyk stepped away from the team while his wife, Jenn, dealt with a medical situation.
Although this opportunity for NHL ice time was unforeseen, Kahkonen has capitalized on it, and that has flattered him and the Wild.